The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-02-25
To EDITOR OF THE KENosHA TELEGRAPH


Noticing that the one-armed soldier
has been the cause of creating SO much
bitter feeling in this city and county, al
though entirely innocent, unless it is
charged that he has had the audacity to
become candidate for Sheriff and again
for County Treasurer, and the presump-
ton to think that his past services to his
adopted country and his past record
since the war should entitle him to any
consideration also hearing that certain
parties have circulated slanderous stories,
attributing to Mr.. q. G., Simmons selfish
motives in advocating my appointment,
and knowing them to be false in every
way, deem it my duty to state the real
facts concerning my candidacy, and l
hope, Mr.. Editor, that you will kindly
give this place in the columns of your
paper. Soon after my defeat last fall,
when majority of our citizens declared
by their votes that my opponent was
more worthy and more deserving of the
position than I, our Secretary of State,
Mr.. E. G. Timme, kindly secured for
me clerkship in the State Land Office
at Madison, Wis. The Office, however,
is under the control of three commission
ers, and consequently can not be con-
sidered q permanent one; for, two of
the commissioners being majority, can
at any time make changes in the Land
Office. Mr.. q. G. Sim mons, being aware
of this fact, thought that in case should
happen to lose my present position l
would have this Office to fall back upon,
and to prove that Mr.. q. Il. Simmons
was entirely disinterested, so far as the
deposits of the county funds were con-
cerned, and that his whole desire was to
benefit me and to assist me in securing
the appointment, l wish to state that, in
the presence OF M Timme and myself,
Mr.. Simmons said tia. he did not care
anything about the deposits that rather
than to see me defeated, could deposit
the whole funds in Dan. Head & Co. s
bank.
There is still another matter which l
think does also great injustice to MIR.
Simmons. The report of the County
Board committee, published in your last
issue, says, that when Capt. Frantz was
trying to get the post Office at Kenosha,
seventeen years ago, Mr.. Simmons did
not see fit to help him, but, on the con-
trary, used his patriotism and influence
in behalf of another person mot soldier).
The facts are simply these: Soon after
the election of General U. S. Grant to
he Presidency in the fall of 1868 there
was perfect scramble for the position Of
Postmaster seven or eight different cam
didates were in the field, and most all our
citizens, including Mr.. Simmons, had
pledged their support either to one or
the other aspirant long before I entered
the field as candidate. AS no appoint
,ment had been made from November,
1868, to April, 1869, and as the contest
promised to be a long and bitter one, l
concluded about the first of April that
might stand good chance to the APP.
-pointment. A few friends in this city,
Milwaukee and other places in the state
interested themselves in my behalf, and,
as you know, were successful. The no
tice in the daily papers that my name
ahd been sent to the Senate tor contirma-
ton of Postmaster at Kenosha took
everybody by surprise. Neither MIR.
Simmons nor any other citizen, except
a few soldiers, knew that had appliei
for the Office. Mr.. q. g. Simmons was
one of the first to congratulate me upon
my success, and then and there volun-
teered to sign my bonds for any amount.
I gratefully accepted his kind offer, and
he has been one of my sureties during
the whole time held the office.
Mr.. Editor, | would like to inquire
who are the best qualified to Judge who
has been a friend to the soldiers during
and since the war-the soldiers benefit
ed or the outsiders? The many kind
acts of Mr.. Simmons shown to myself
and to a great many other soldiers,
whose names could mention, the great
interest he has always taken year after
year in upholding the beautiful custom
of decorating the soldiers graves, always
contributing the best his greenhouse
could furnish, his generous offer since
1868 or 1869 to contribute one-half to-
wards erecting a soldiers monument,
with the names of all soldiers of Kenosha
county inscribed thereon, provided the
city and county should furnish the other
half, certainly ought to be sufficient
proof that Mr.. Simmons is now and al.
ways has been true and warm friend
of all soldiers.
Hoping this controversy in the papers,
especially so far as I am concerned, may
herewith come to close, and that the
one-armed soldier may now have rest,
remain yours sincerely,
CHARLES FRANTZ,